Well, you've already planned on having a venue that is perfect for your big day and can give kids their nap-time and run around time if need be. Presumably you have also lined up some professional child care if you're inviting plenty of parents to the wedding.
So now we need to entertain the youngins! My mother always used to bring us to church with a bag of pens and mini notebooks so that we could doodle to our hearts content during long services. And even if the sermon was only half an hour, to a child they seemed to be interminable! Even armed with doodle pads there was a lot of squirming in the pews and whispering to mom "Can we go yet?!"
If you plan on letting children into the ceremony, take a cue from my mother and have someone hand out a crayon (or those amazing magic markers that only draw on paper!) and a mini coloring book to children before the ceremony starts. You can also put together a little kit together to be handed out to parents before the ceremony; include a quiet toy, a juice box and a snack - just make sure to ask about allergies in advance!Also think about keeping the ceremony under a half an hour. Many of the weddings that I have photographed tend to have ceremonies that run about 15 to 20 minutes. There was one ceremony in the hot sun that ran about an hour, and by then even the parents were cranky!
If you would rather have the parents enjoy the ceremony in an adults-only environment, then pre-arrange to have an anteroom available with some toys, a place for children to nap and a childcare professional. Having a place for kids to enjoy themselves and not be shushed can help prevent meltdowns later in the day! Just make sure that parents are well aware of this arrangement in advance. (Parents may insist on having their children in the ceremony, so this is where a coloring book & magic marker backup plan comes in handy!)
After the ceremony is generally when the photographer wants to try to take photos. If you are hoping to have children in the photos with you, see if you can take those photos first! Many people have a short attention span for photos - but often children will be willing subjects for a shorter span of time.
Also plan on having some on-site entertainment for the children during the reception. Bubbles are always a good idea. Adults and children love them! Plus a picture of everyone playing with bubbles will be a wonderful memory on your wedding day.
Here are some other fun ideas of things to have planned for kids:
- A confetti cannon pouch - these are inexpensive palm-sized pouches which inflate via a straw and then pop up to release a shower of colorful tissue paper pieces. Just ask at your reception site before hand to see if they allow confetti. They might prefer not to have to perform confetti cleanup.
- Goody bags - As mentioned above, you could put together a bag for each child with a snack and a simple toy to keep them entertained. Last summer I photographed a wedding where each table was well stocked with toys, simple wooden puzzles, word games and light-up ropes for kids.
- Treasure hunt - If you have outdoor space available to you this would be a great time to organize a treasure hunt. The cocktail hour is a great opportunity for the parents to enjoy some adult mingle time while the children expend some energy finding Easter eggs or similar types of treasures! Again, if you decide that the treasures should be edible just make sure to inquire about allergies well enough in advance!
With a little bit of planning, incorporating children in your wedding can be a very rewarding (and adorable) experience!
Jen Kiaba is a photographer and burgeoning crafter who lives in Rhinebeck, NY with her lovely boyfriend, two crazy cats and an adorable basset hound. When her hands aren't covered in tacky glue, she specializes in taking romantic portraits of happy couples in the Hudson Valley!